Puppy Fun

We have been trying to expose the dogs to all of the baby items coming into the house. This way, they are less interested in them (or so we hope). Anyway, here is a pic of Baxter and Daisy checking out the baby stroller. They really didn't care for this at all, as you can tell by their faces they are ready to bolt as soon as we say GO!


Here is Chris starting to put together the play yard (basinette, changing station and playpen combined) that my Aunt Nancy and Cousin Tabitha bought us. He turned his back and Daisy claimed it. I think Baxter looks like he is laughing at her.

Hope all is well. I will post shower pics soon.

32 weeks - start of 8 months

Here I am coming home from work, not the best picture I know because of how tired I look. I have been putting in long days, it is season here. I wanted to get a picture in this outfit because my Mom made me this beautiful scrub top - it's the BEATLES!!! You can't find cute maternity scrub tops or pants. I have gotten through with wearing maternity cargo pants (look enough like scrub pants) and scrub tops my Mom has made.

Update on the health: my gestational diabetes really went into full force these past couple of weeks. I went to a gestational diabetes class to help with what to eat / portions / etc. It helped because I don't know this stuff well as a nurse (cardiac is my field) and I felt better having a nutritionist explain everything. However, I basically couldn't touch anything without my blood sugar being elevated. My regular OB tried medications, but those didn't work. My blood sugar would go the other way - too low - and I would get really sick.

So, I was referred to a maternal - fetal medicine specialist who I just saw this past Tuesday. He did an extensive 3 hour work-up. Lots of questions, family history, etc. The most thorough ultrasound ever (but I kept my eyes closed so I wouldn't see the sex) and the appointment. He started me on a new med that seems to be helping. I spent about 3-4 weeks since the gestational diabetes diagnosis barely eating due to everything elevating my blood sugar. I lost 5 pounds and got somewhat malnourished. Now, the baby is fine. But is has taken a toll on me and my body. I really don't feel the best right now - low energy, pale, bad circles under my eyes, etc. But, I have reason to hope - because as I said the med is working and I am starting to eat a little more.

My shower was yesterday, I will post pics and stories soon I promise. Again, the baby is fine!!! I see the doctors now on a weekly basis and will keep you all updated from the blog.

End of 7 Months

Here we are today at the annual Ft. Myers Beach sandcastle competition. We go every year on Sunday morning very early, around sunrise. It's the best time to go and you get to see everything before it gets too crowded. It was chilly (by Florida standards) this morning so you can see I am dressed as a true Floridian, whereas Chris looks like a northener still in shorts and a tee shirt.

We took this picture for my "lil sis" Lee Ann back in WV. I just knew she would love this - she loves celestial stuff and this guy's giant moon was really neat.

So, looks like my 7 month is coming to a close. I will be starting 32 weeks (start of the 8 month) this week. Looking forward to the home stretch and finding out what the baby is. We still have a lot of work to do, the nursery is no where near ready. I hope I get everything done in time..... will keep you all updated. My baby shower is in 2 weeks, promise to post lots of pics.

Halloween

Here I am 30 weeks pregnant. Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. I just had no energy this year to decorate, which is sad because I have the most beautiful Halloween decorations - most of which my Mom has made me. I have never not dressed for Halloween in my entire life, so I wasn't going to let pregnancy stop me. I was a WVU Mountaineer fan for Halloween. Now yes, I realize that the season isn't going well but I am a Mountaineer fan tried and true every day of my life. The shirt says "It's a Mountaineer", which you can see in some of my earlier posts. It's amazing how much bigger I am, what a difference a few months makes. My mother-in-law Kathy suprised me with the shirt as a Mother's Day gift and it has been well worn during my pregnancy.

7 Months

Ok, so these two pics with the dogs are a little blurry - I don't know why. I am wearing the best shirt ever though. It says "not finding out". We love this shirt. It gets a lot of reactions when I wear it. Some good, some bad. It's amazing how many people these days expect you to find out the sex of the baby and then get upset when you don't know. I am 29 weeks in these 2 pics which is mid 7 months. Notice the dogs posed with me on either side of my growing belly.

Here are two pics of me at around 28 weeks, early 7 months. Marianne and Todd had a Halloween evening and invited Mike, Josh, Bethany and us over for dinner and pumpkin carving. The pumpkin that looks like a Jackolantern is the one Chris carved - he won the vote amongst us all for best pumpkin. In the picture below - you can't tell - but Marianne's two months pregnant. Bethany is in the blue shirt and Marianne in the pink shirt.

Update on the pregnancy: my anemia is improving. My blood count is coming up partly from the iron pills I am taking and partly from all of the iron rich food Chris keeps making for me to eat. I recently found out that I have gestational diabetes. The positive is that it looks like my lab work is fairly normal and after the baby I should go back to normal. So for two more months, I just check my blood sugar, eat right, exercise and keep things under control. The doctors are considering inducing the baby around the end of the year due to the diabetes and the baby potentially getting too big to deliver. My due date is still Jan 7 (my birthday) but we are looking more like a Dec 29/30 delivery. We shall see - will know more as I approach weeks 35-36. Not such a bad thing though - our insurance deductable will be met and can anyone say TAX CREDIT!!

Hope all is well, will post more at the end of 7 months. Love, April

End of Second Trimester

Here is a picture of Lori (Chris' sister) and me at her birthday party. This marks the end of the second trimester for me, I am at 27 weeks (end of 6 months) pregnant. I really am all belly. Everyone keeps speculating on what the baby is and how I am carrying it. Well, I can truly say I have gained very little weight anywhere else but my belly. It literally goes from my ribcage to my pubic bone, straight up and down. Not sideways, just up and down all belly. So, if that tells any of you anything, there you go.

I have had a rough few weeks regarding labwork. My hemoglobin and hematocrit came back fairly low, low enough to take serious action. I have been eating more iron rich foods and taking iron supplements. I will have my labs repeated this week to see if there is any improvement. Also, I failed the glucose toleranace screeing test for gestational diabetes, but not by much. So, I just took a more extensive lab test this weekend and should know the results soon.

Hope that all of you are well and I will post more this week with updates and 7 month pictures.

6 Months and Counting

Here is a pic of me with the finished crib. I am 24 wks, which is early 6 months. According to our FL friends, I don't look that big in real life. I think the top I was wearing plus the angle of the pic.....oh well. Something to accept. I will post a later 6 months pic in a couple of weeks and you all can decide for yourselves :) I go to the doctor tomorrow to see if I can get off of bedrest....here's hoping, fingers crossed.